Senator Joe Lieberman has been, without a doubt, a giant pain in our asses for the past 18 months. Moreover, he has increasingly drifted to the right, muted any criticism of the most incompetent administration in over 80 years, and is now facing a major primary challenge as a result of that.
So what is driving Lieberman these days? The same thing that always has: his ego.
Details following the jump.
A look at the actions of Lieberman over the last ten years reveal a man desperate to be liked, bitter that he is not, and acting out because of his bitterness.
1998: Lieberman takes to the Senate floor and denounces President Clinton's affair with Monica Lewinsky in such strident tones that White House staffers believe Lieberman did it just so he could be the first.
2000: Lieberman is chosen by Al Gore to be his running mate. This decision both lifted Lieberman up in stature, while making Gore seem even more like Bush. It was, to the detail-free in America, the Election of the Clones. Gore-Lieberman looked like the multiethnic version of Bush-Cheney. Gore wins, but loses in the media war because Lieberman, still shining over how special he is, fails to help lead an effective defense, while Cheney is pulling Bush's strings and putting together an all-out war. End result: The Supreme Court elects Bush, Lieberman immediately becomes early 2004 frontrunner, and Gore goes back home, miserable in defeat.
2002: Lieberman's split personality begins to unfold. While crucifying Bush's policies towards Enron and others, , he is one of the major cheerleaders for Iraq. He also stands aside as Bush steals his Homeland Security Dept. plan, rejiggers it, and uses it to take power from the Democrats...and Lieberman.
2004: Lieberman's run for President crumbles underneath the weight of having someone who's unwilling to fight Bush on many fronts. Joementum takes the loss personally, as evidenced by his move away from the Democrats on many issues. His spotlight is gone, his ego wounded, and he blames the stupid voters who chose Kerry.
2005: Lieberman and Bush, sitting in a tree...The 2005 State of the Union features Lieberman kissing the President on national television. As Republican dominance seems imminent, Joe seeks to regain his lost spotlight by kissing up, literally, to power. As the year progresses, he criticizes Democrats who criticize Bush, Harry Reid says Joe is in his own world, and as his own party isolates him for his bizarre behavior, he sucks up even more to the people who love him as their favorite Democrat.
2006: The transformation is complete. Lieberman goes along with the Republican report on Katrina. He arrogantly dismisses Ned Lamont's candidacy as having any meaning. He laughs it up with GOP jackass Sean Hannity. He is the only Democrat to stand and applaud Bush at the SOTU. He does anything he can to stand out.
I'm supporting Ned Lamont. Much as I'd hate to jeopardize a safe seat, I'd hate it even worse if that swing seat was held by a man who has sold out his party and his country with his behavior. If Lieberman beats Lamont, then I'll support Lieberman, as Lamont says he'd do. Lieberman, however, in another show of his ego, says he'd run Independent if he lost the primary.
Ultimately, Lieberman is about himself. He's a classic narcissist, who prides himself on being the guy in front, the guy in the spotlight, who stands out no matter what the reason. Joementum wants to be loved, and will go whereever the love is, even if he becomes the battered spouse. He is "Bush's favorite Democrat" while being part of a party that Bush beats up on every chance he gets. Lieberman has abandoned principle for power and glory, so much so that he's being challenged in a primary, which is not a usual case. This is why he is behaving in this manner, and this is why he needs to go. Only a true loss would show him the ugly truth, but given his egotistical state, I doubt he'd learn the lesson.